Opabinia Regalis
December 2018
Glass and Coral
Primarily found hidden within sedimentary deposits in British Columbia, this arthropod existed during the Middle Cambrian Period – making it one of the Rockies’ infamous Burgess Shale creatures. Fewer than 20 good specimens of Opabinia have been reported, leaving much to be discovered in regards to their lifestyle and anatomy. Although, from the research available, it is deduced that these soft-bodied sea creatures used the lobes along the sides of their bodies to glide across the sea floor and use their proboscis to search for food. They average about 5.7cm in length. This piece depicts a glass study of the creature based off of available research and recent discoveries.
This piece has been shown as part of the below shows:
April 2019 – The Cambrian Revival. Emerald Lake, Columbia-Shuswap, British Columbia, Canada.
November – December 2021 – Preservation. Framed on Fifth, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
March – July 2022 – Craft and Science. Alberta Craft Council Feature Gallery, Edmonton and Calgary, Alberta, Canada.